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Letter from the Producer LIVE Part XI Q&A Summary (12/24/2013)

Greetings everyone!

We're pleased to present the full Q&A digest from the Producer LIVE Part XI! If you missed the live stream, or if you just want to watch it again (and again), follow the link below! Please note that subtitles will not be added to the LIVE letter itself.

0:12:49
Q: Exactly what can players expect from the beast tribe quests?

A: Up until now you've been facing off against tempered beastmen in the main story, and I believe many players see them as evil. The truth is not so black and white, however—they have their own culture, history, religion, and ideals. Certain aspects of this were touched on via job quests, but the beast tribe quests will focus further on this, and you'll be able to see how ordinary, peaceful beastmen lead their lives. As you communicate with them, help them solve problems, and quest with them, opportunities to learn about their lives and thought processes will grow, and your reputation will increase. Increase your reputation and you'll be able to purchase minions, furniture, materials, and mounts that can only be obtained from beastmen vendors.

Just to be clear, there are two types of beast tribe quests: a set of main quests that focus heavily on the story of the beast tribes, along with a larger assortment of quests that you can repeat on a daily basis.

A: New beast tribe settlements and areas will be added, and the quests will be based here. Beastmen in these settlements are peaceful and have diplomatic relations with the people of Eorzea.

With the daily beast tribe quests, you accept the quests from NPCs that have a new "repeatable quest" icon. This new icon indicates that quests from these NPCs may be repeated every day. Once your reputation reaches the maximum, you will be able to accept up to six quests in a single day. When you accept a quest, a new quest will be listed in the window. There are a total of 3 NPCs per beast tribe that offer quests, with difficulty and rewards to vary depending on which NPC you accept the quest from. Also, the quest details will be different for each player. Accept up to six of your favorite quests to receive up to six rewards. Repeat this on a daily basis your reputation will grow, further advancing the story.

0:17:31
Q: What type of rewards will we be able to obtain from the beast tribe daily quests?

A: Naturally you'll be awarded experience points and gil, and if you’re level 50 you’ll be able to receive Allagan tomestones of philosophy and mythology. There is an element of randomness to the rewards, but you will nevertheless be able to accumulate quite a few each day from beastman quests. You can collect Allagan tomestones as you raise your reputation, or use these quests to get that last bit of experience you need to level up. Beastman vendors will sell materials and exclusive dyes, minions, mounts, and furniture as your reputation increases.

0:18:56
Q: What level do we have to be to undertake beast tribe quests?

A: You'll be able to accept the sylph quests from level 42 and the Amalj’aa quests from level 43. These quests will also add a new avenue for leveling for those of you who are just beginning the game and progressing through the main story.

A: The quests implemented in patch 2.1 will be for the sylphs and the Amalj'aa. We are planning to add quests for the Sahagin and the kobolds in patch 2.2, and we will continue to add more after that so that there are quests for all of the beast tribes.

0:20:01
Q: Will I be able to communicate with tribes that my Grand Company is at odds with?

A: Yes, the quests will mainly be an involvement between adventurers and the beast tribes. The sylphs are a good example. There are hostile “touched” sylphs, but that's not to say that all of sylphkind are enemies of Gridania. Gridania’s leaders may consider them dangerous, but adventurers are able to decide their destinies freely. There are things adventurers can do that other members of a Grand Company might not, and being able to interact with each tribe without any concern for which are enemies is one of them.

0:20:59
Q: Will the beast tribe quests involve the beastmen strongholds and their leaders?

A: Yes. Naturally, beast tribes are closely related to the primals, with each tribe having a primal that they worship. For example, the Amalj'aa worship Ifrit, but there are different schools of thought regarding Ifrit among the tempered and other factions of the tribe, and the storyline will address this. There will also be other cases of primal involvement and stories that tie into the main story, so please enjoy the various quests and try to predict what's to come in the main storyline.

0:22:02
Q: About how long will it take to complete a single beast tribe quest?

A: It depends on the quest, but roughly it will take anywhere from 7 to 15 minutes for a single quest. The distance between the settlements of the beastmen that adventurers communicate with and the strongholds of the hostile beastmen are close by, and the beast tribe daily quests will revolve around these two locations, so travel time won't be very long. It will take approximately one hour to complete all six quests, and it will go by quickly. There are also quite a few quests unlike anything you've seen up until now, so I hope you'll enjoy them. There are also quests that can be completed right away if you obtain certain items ahead of time.

A: *The video shows off a new weapon and new equipment.
This is item level 80 and 90 equipment. The weapon shown is a reward from the extreme primal quests. As for the armor, it's item level 80, so I'll leave you to imagine where it can be obtained.

A: Yes, there will. The main beast tribe quests are one large story focused on the beastmen, and the daily quests serve to be repeated in order to boost your reputation amongst the tribes. For each rank of reputation there will a single main quest with numerous cutscenes. One such scene is featured in the patch 2.1 trailer.

A: *The video shows off gameplay footage of Treasure Hunting.
Once you reach a certain level with one of the three gathering classes, you'll be able to discover or fish up treasure maps from various locations. These treasure maps show the way to riches buried long ago, and by deciphering the map, a portion of it will be displayed. There are five types of treasure maps, with the challenge and rewards varying accordingly. Only Disciples of the Land can discover treasure maps, and it will also be possible to sell maps before they are deciphered. Anyone can decipher a map with the "Decipher" action, and when this is done a portion of the map will be displayed on the screen. The area name, difficulty, and recommended party size will be displayed on the map. Travel to the "X" on the map and use the "Dig" command, and you’ll unearth a treasure chest. Opening this treasure chest will cause monsters to spawn, and if you triumph you’ll obtain the treasure.

Treasure hunting isn't just about digging like crazy─you'll find maps as you gather, and once you have a few in hand, you can go out find the treasures all at once. The monsters guarding the rarest treasures will provide a challenge worthy of a full party, so free companies might save up these maps, choosing a time to search for the treasures together. Treasure hunting is not something you’ll focus on exclusively, but rather something enjoyable and rewarding that adds to the variety of things to do when playing.

A: As of patch 2.1 it will only be possible to obtain these maps by gathering with one of the three Disciple of Land classes. In the future, we may add them as rewards for guildleves or add even rarer maps that will drop from monsters. We will continue to update and expand Treasure Hunting as we move forward.

0:30:28
Q: Is there a limit to how many times we can hunt for treasure each day?

A: There are no limitations on the act of hunting for treasure. However, once you discover a map, you won't be able to obtain another one for 18 hours. There are two reasons for this: first, the original role of a gatherer would be lost if they were only just discovering maps, and secondly, we would have to reduce the value of the rewards if it were possible to obtain maps with such frequency. As is, the rewards are quite nice, and that's why this restriction is in place. For reference, if you consider that there are around 2,000 gatherers on a given World, roughly 2,000 maps will be discovered each day. As some maps will be saved up and undeciphered maps sold on the market boards, we feel these will reach many players. There are no limits to how many undeciphered maps you can carry, but only one map may be deciphered at a time—you won't be able to decipher a new map until you discover the treasure chest.

A: Deciphered maps cannot be sold or traded. They become quest items, so think of it as a personal item. Undeciphered maps are regular items that can be sold and traded. As a frame of reference for prices, just to give one example, say a boarskin map is sold on the market boards for 3,000 gil. You may purchase it to find yourself rewarded with items that you can trade for Allagan tomestones, HQ crafting materials, and furnishing materials, and come out thinking that 3,000 gil is a pretty good deal. On the other hand, you might receive rewards that you feel are only worth about 2,000 gil, so we’d players to keep this element of randomness in mind when buying and selling maps.

0:34:00
Q: If I lose a Treasure Hunt battle, will the treasure chest disappear?

A: It won't disappear immediately, so you'll be able to re-challenge it. However, if you teleport or move to a different area it will disappear, so we recommend setting your home point to the nearest aetheryte when you dig up the treasure chest. It's also possible to run away, so if you feel like you are in danger, you can run away, better prepare yourself, and then attempt the battle once more.

0:34:51
Q: Will the rarity of treasure maps discovered differ depending on the level of the gatherer?

A: It’s not dependent on level, but instead, based on the area and gathering point. We encourage players to explore and get a feel for what sort of maps can be found where.

The Wolves' Den

0:37:19
Q: Will I be able to obtain a high rank in PvP without collecting high-item-level gear if I fight skillfully?

A: The highest-ranking PvP players will naturally be those possessing formidable gear and high skill, so without suitable equipment, naturally it will be difficult. However, I believe that up to an item level difference of twenty or so, your skills should be able to compensate. For example, black mages have the instant ability Lethargy, a combination of both Slow and Heavy, and there will be a significant difference depending on how effectively the player is able to use this. Also, a character who is running forward might turn their camera to notice a paladin chasing after them at full speed. Whether they can fend him off with a well-timed Sleep, or fail to notice him entirely, getting stunned and becoming the focus of a full-on attack—which gear will save you from—again will depend on the player’s skill. Therefore, it depends on how you look at it, but having skill certainly has the potential to change the course of battle, so both skill and equipment are important.

0:39:43
Q: Will actions and directional-based ability combos be altered in any way for the Wolves' Den?

A: For the most part, there will not be any changes. The calculations for PvP are slightly different, but bonuses will still be applied, so being stunned opens up possibilities for your opponent and puts you into a bad situation.

However, there are certain elements that will differ between PvE and PvP. Bows, for example, will have their damage reduced depending on distance. This is to balance out the fact that they can deal damage while moving from long range. Also, when taking any kind of damage, magic casting will be interrupted. Pet behavior, however, will be the same as PvE. Swiftcast and Surecast will likely be essential for Disciples of Magic. It will feel quite different, so I encourage all players to experiment at first as they get used to the new playing style.

A: 4 vs. 4 team battles will be implemented in patch 2.1, and whichever team is able to defeat all four members of the opposing team, regardless of the condition, wins. For example, even if only one person remains, a win is a win.

A: We've implemented a great amount of PvP skills, and I think it would be faster to just read the patch notes, so please be sure to check them out for details. To give one highlight, there is an ability called "Purify," which will instantly remove negative effects such as Sleep, Heavy, and Poison. The recast time is long, but all classes can acquire it and it’s an ability that everyone will want to obtain. There are also numerous class-specific abilities and role-specific abilities, so please check the patch notes.

A: * The video shows item level 70 PvP equipment.
We showed off some gear in a previous LIVE letter, but some of that was actually Frontlines equipment and will therefore not be available in patch 2.1. In this patch we'll be introducing item level 70 and 90 PvP equipment. It'll also be possible to dye this gear, so you and your teammates can have matching colors.

A: You can obtain PvP Gear by earning Wolf Marks and increasing your rank. This also applies to PvP-specific abilities. Every time you rise in rank, you will receive one Action Point. By saving up these points, you can exchange them for abilities. These PvP abilities can then be further enhanced by using additional Action Points. Keep in mind, however, that the points used to obtain equipment and the points used to learn abilities are different. In addition to gear which can be obtained using Wolf Marks, we’ve also introduced a number of recipes for PvP equipment, so it might be easier to start off with crafted PvP equipment.

* During the stream, the answer to this question initially implied that points used to obtain equipment and learn abilities would be the same. It was later corrected to say that points are separate and players need not worry about which they should spend their points on.

0:47:52
Q: Will we be able to use the vanity system with PvP gear in the Wolves' Den?

A: Unfortunately, this won't be possible. Even if you’ve changed the appearance of your gear with the vanity system, such changes will not apply when you enter the Wolves' Den. This would allow players to deceive others by making it difficult to discern their true class or job, or to have everyone look exactly the same, which wouldn’t be fair. However, this restriction will only apply to PvP areas.

A: For PvP, the calculation of magic defense, physical defense, and physical attack is different. This separate calculation will only function within the Wolves’ Den, and the Morale stat will figure prominently in the formulas used. The higher this value becomes, the stronger your defense and attack will become. Equipment with a morale parameter will make you much more powerful. Just remember that gear designed for PvP will include the Morale stat, and gear designed for PvE will not. Advanced materia melding can be performed on all PvP equipment as well. We’ve added various kinds of materia, such as materia that increase your sleep resistance, so we hope you all enjoy experimenting with various combinations.

A: Yes, you can. However, it’s 4 vs. 4 so the limit break will be set for a light party. However, this doesn't mean that the limit break in PvP will always be limited. In the future, there will be PvP matches that require parties larger than four people, so you can expect to see stronger limit breaks at that time.

0:50:59
Q: Will we be able to watch other players fight in the Wolves’ Den?

A: This won’t be possible in patch 2.1; however, we’ve been talking about allowing players to spectate PvP since the early stages of FFXIV: ARR. There have also been many requests to view the game from another player's perspective, and this is something we'd also like to see implemented.

A: The opposing team’s members will have their names displayed as “Fresh Meat.” The names of your team members will be displayed normally during the battle, and after the fight everyone’s names will be displayed in the battle log. The reason for this is that I think there will be a lot of people experiencing PvP for the first time, and I felt it would be easier getting accustomed to PvP combat itself without worrying about specifically "who" you're fighting. With the names not displayed, it will feel more like an NPC or monster. However, names will be displayed in the end of match log so you can see how much damage you took and check out what kind of gear your opponents were wearing via Lodestone. Handling names in this manner was my (Yoshi-P’s) own preference, nothing more and nothing less.

A: We'd like to start with 4 vs. 4 matches, and once we've determined there are no major issues, it will simply be a matter of how large to make the arenas. I don't foresee any major problems, so I'd say it's very likely. However, we’d like to see how popular 4 vs. 4 matches become, and we’d also like everyone to enjoy full-party, large-scale PvP via Frontlines, so we need to decide how much weight to place on each. With that said though, we’d like everyone to first have fun with 4 vs. 4 PvP in the Wolves’ Den.

0:56:27
Q: Are there plans to introduce other types of PvP battles (capture the flag, etc.)?

A: As we were developing the Wolves' Den, we played a ton of different MMOs. For some staff members it was their first time with PvP, and they would often bring up different types of PvP matches they thought were interesting. However, we can only implement so much at a given time, so first we'd like to focus on Frontlines, and then consider expanding to different formats of PvP.

Various Additions and Refinements to Patch 2.1

0:58:03
Q: With the item level increase for weapons from the Binding Coil of Bahamut, will the stats also be changed?

A: While the type of stats on these weapons will not be changed, the value of the stats will increase accordingly for item level 95. Also, the stats for Allagan armor and the armor that can be obtained with Allagan tomestones of mythology are too similar, and we will be changing a couple of these items to make them different.

* During the stream, the answer to this question suggested that only the item level would be increased. It was later corrected to clarify that while the parameters themselves will not change, values would increase to what would be expected from item level 95

0:59:23
Q: Will the new hairstyles introduced through the aesthetician be selectable if we were to create a new character?

A: They cannot be used in character creation. The newly added hairstyles will only be available through the Aesthetician, and the hair style choice in character creation will remain as they have been thus far.

1:00:16
Q: There's been talk of a new weapon we can receive from the extreme primal. Is it a reward simply from just defeating them?

A: Not exactly. When defeating extreme mode Ifrit, Garuda, and Titan they will drop a quest item. Collect all three of these items, and you can exchange them for an item level 90 weapon of your choice. You can’t just defeat one primal multiple times; you have to defeat all three of them and obtain each quest item. While the quest item is a guaranteed drop, there are also non-weapon items that drop at a certain rate, but you'll have to defeat the primals yourself to find out what they are.

1:01:46
Q: Could you tell us the specific restrictions for lotting on equipment in Crystal Tower?

A: First and foremost, Crystal Tower is an alliance raid, and just as we’ve mentioned previously, it requires three full parties to enter. When you defeat a boss, three treasure chests will appear. In the Labyrinth of the Ancients, which will be implemented in patch 2.1, there will be a total of four bosses, meaning a total of 12 treasure chests will appear. Every boss will spawn three treasure chests, each of which is designated to one of the three alliance parties. For example, if I open my party’s treasure chest to find black mage staff, then I—along with any other black mages in the party—would lot on it. The person who wins the lot will obtain the staff, but they would not be able to select Need or Greed for any other rewards until Monday at 7:00 a.m. the following week. However, they can still enter the Labyrinth of the Ancients if they chose to do so. No restrictions will be placed on players who do not obtain rewards, but we’d like you to be mindful of selecting Greed for items that you don’t truly desire. Should all other party members pass on the item, you would be then receive the item and be unable to use Need or Greed until the next week. So I encourage players to save Need/Greed for items they really, truly want.

1:04:38
Q: Will we be able to enter the Crystal Tower (via Duty Finder) with a party configuration other than two tanks, two healers, and four DPS?

A: No, it will not be possible. I understand that there have been a lot of requests to queue for the Crystal Tower with pre-made alliances, and this is a change we'd like to make as soon as we're able. At that time, you'll be free to set up your party as you like. Because the Crystal Tower currently matches together three parties at random, however, we've elected to require standard parties of 2 tanks, 4 DPS, and 2 healers to prevent any difficulties that may arise from pre-made party compositions.

A: * The video shows off the Party Finder feature.
When opening the Party Finder window, the recruiter's name, roles being recruited, requested average item level, objective, and a comment will be displayed for the parties currently recruiting. When you click each recruitment listing, details such as the remaining time left for recruitment and the roles that have been filled will be displayed. As soon as you hit “Join Party” you will be placed in the party. In the event you want to talk to them a bit beforehand, you can click “Send /tell” to message the leader. Pressing the “Back” button will close the details window. Also, you can filter search results by changing the search criteria. I believe that most shouts for content were taking place in Revenant’s Toll, but now you’ll be able to do various other things and go to the places you want to go to while you recruit.

You can recruit your own party by selecting “Recruit Members.” The pull-down menu for Objectives allows you to select the type of duty you'd like to recruit for, with each category marked by the same icons seen in the Duty Finder. You can also recruit players for activities not listed in the Duty Finder such as treasure hunts, listing the number and types of maps you have. It's also possible to designate a minimum average item level for your party, and specify what jobs and classes you wish to join your party. At the bottom of the window, you can specify a language and write a comment to give everyone an idea of how you want to accomplish your objective. After you finish, press “Recruit Members” to register. There is a time limit for recruiting, and your posting will be displayed for one hour. If no one joins after one hour, the posting will automatically be taken down. Please be sure to try it out.

1:09:53
Q: When leaving a dungeon, items will go to the last person in the instance if no one lots need or greed. Will this also happen in the Crystal Tower?

A: Yes, it will.

1:10:23
Q: If no one lots on an item and I automatically acquire it, does this count as my one reward for the week?

A: Yes, it will count, so please be sure to pass if you don’t need something.

* This answer was given after the initial streaming after confirming the details of the lot system. Please see the response here.

1:11:50
Q: Please give us an idea of how much land and housing will cost.

A: I first have to apologize to you about something. Until now, I said on multiple occasions that the prices for land would be the same across all Worlds. However, after taking a look at the gil in circulation in all Worlds this past month, we've reached the conclusion that this would not be feasible. We'll be separating Worlds into five groups depending on gil distribution, and pricing will be different for each. More specifically, the price of the houses themselves will be the same across all Worlds, but the price of the land upon which they're built will differ depending on the economic conditions of each World. Moving forward, we will make further adjustments to the cost of land as we monitor purchases.

A pricing chart will be listed in the patch notes that are scheduled to go live after this broadcast. Prices will differ depending on the size and location of plots, which range from fifth-class to first-class plots. The price of a fifth-class small size plot of land on the cheapest World will be 4,000,000 gil at the start of the auction. The pricing for Legacy Worlds are completely different, but there will be price differences between even the new Worlds. After the patch goes live, the prices of land will be reduced every six hours. Before you start making plans based on how much gil you have right now, keep in mind that you’ll first need to increase your free company rank. There will also be new ways to obtain gil in patch 2.1, so it may be best to set a goal of one or two months to save up for a house. We have plans to introduce individual housing as well, so we'd like to encourage you all to start saving up.

By the way, we've set the price of the actual houses relatively low (in the tens of thousands of gil) so rebuilding and remodeling should not be overly expernsive.

* To review land prices for each World, please refer to the patch notes.
On Dec. 17th, Producer/Director Yoshida made a comment on the overall vision for and future direction of land pricing. Please read his comment for details .

1:18:16
Q: Is there any other secret content in patch 2.1 that you have not yet introduced?

A: Although we've covered a great deal over the course of the past three LIVE letters, there are still a lot of interesting new additions and features we've implemented such as the new Party Finder. You'll just have to wait and find out.

PlayStation®4 Version

1:46:47
Q: Could you give us a rough schedule for the Beta Test through official release of the PlayStation®4 version?

A: The start of the PlayStation 4 Beta Test will coincide with the PlayStation 4 launch in Japan on February 22, 2014. While FFXIV: ARR initially went through an alpha test, four phases of beta testing, Early Access, and then the official release, we're planning to first start off with an initial PlayStation 4 beta test, then a second beta test where data will be transferrable from the beta servers to the live servers. After an Early Access period, official service will begin in April, so the testing period will be rather short.

1:48:35
Q: Will I be able to participate in the PlayStation 4 beta test with my character from the PlayStation 3 version?

A: The initial beta test set to begin on February 22, 2014 will be for new characters only. This is because we’d like to debug hardware in the same manner as Beta Test phase 1 for FFXIV: ARR. In the beta test phase to follow we will allow the transfer of character data from the PlayStation 3 and Windows versions.

1:49:28
Q: Will the PlayStation 4 Beta Test be conducted on a dedicated server?

A: As mentioned in my previous answer, the very first Beta Test for the PlayStation 4 version will take place on a dedicated server. The next test will allow players to use their current character data, so it will utilize the live servers.

1:50:17
Q: Will we need to subscribe to PlayStation Plus in order to play the PlayStation 4 version?

A: PlayStation Plus is used for various online services for online multiplayer and has a fee associated with it. However, for the PlayStation 4 version of FFXIV: ARR, we received permission from Sony Computer Entertainment to allow play without subscribing to PlayStation Plus. However, there are plenty of enticing services for those with PlayStation Plus, so it may be worth looking into.

1:52:29
Q: Will there be any special fees that will apply only the PlayStation 4 version?

A: It will depend on compatibility, but if it's USB and can be used with the PlayStation 4, it should be fine. For special controls, you're free to configure them as you see fit.

1:54:48
Q: Will there be a Collector’s Edition for the PlayStation 4 version?

A: We’d definitely like to offer something special to players who will begin playing FFXIV: ARR with the PlayStation 4 version, so that is our plan. At the same time, we're also considering players who've already purchased a Collector's Edition, and will ensure that they don’t feel obligated to make another purchase for bonus items.

1:56:16
Q: Are there any plans to sell a special package which includes a PlayStation 4 and FFXIV: ARR?

A: That’d be nice, but there are no definite plans for this at the moment.

1:57:30
Q: If we start playing on the PlayStation 4 with an existing character, will it be possible to transfer over our macros and game settings?

A: We're working on a function to allow character settings such as macros and hotbars to be saved to our servers. If this new feature can be implemented in time, it'll be possible.

A: * The video shows off a demo of Remote Play with the PlayStation Vita.

2:07:28
Q: PlayStation Vita does not have the R1, R2, L1, and L2 buttons. How will that work?

A: You’ll have to use the touch pad on the back. In patch 2.1 it will be possible to change the functions of L1 and L2 and reassign them. If you switch to gamepad mode when playing on the PlayStation Vita, you can play with the cross hotbar enabled.

2:08:27
Q: Will it be possible to use the Remote Play feature during the Beta Test?

A: We can't make any guarantees, but it should be possible.

2:09:09
Q: Will we able to utilize the second screen feature with the PlayStation Vita?

A: For MMOs, it becomes difficult if all of the information is not centralized on one screen. As I don’t see much benefit to this, there are currently no plans to implement it. While this doesn’t mean that we will never support this feature, we don’t want to see usability differ too much by platform, either.

* At the end of the stream, concept art of new equipment and minions are shown along with the design images of the interior of the Sanctum of the Twelve and a wedding carriage. Please see here for details.

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